Ffynnon Cybi Bach, Nefyn

Ffynnon Cybi Bach, lies in the shadow of Garn Boduan, to the left of the A497 as you leave Nefyn towards Pwllheli. The recently inaugurated long distance footpath Llwybr y Morwyr – the Sailor’s Path from Nefyn to Pwllheli passes within feet of it without hardly noticing; they only concession to its existence being the new little bridge added to help walkers cross the water flowing from the spring down towards the stream below.

The spring rises (as they often unfortunately seem to do) in a clump of brambles and thorn bushes, beside a field boundary to the west of the path. A couple of large stones stick out of the mud beside it – whether they a the remnants of any more notable structure, or whether they are just randomly lying there or have fallen in from a wall there is no way of telling. There is also the remains of an old bucket, but that is by the by.

There is no immediate local attachment to St Cybi in the area and there are no surviving traditions attached to the well. The name is clearly of some antiquity; the tithe maps of the 1840s identify the name of the field in which the well lies as Cae Ffynnon Cybi. Although this begs the question of when the “Bach” was added to the name, Ffynnon Cybi Bach is how it is recorded in the Historic Environment Record. The well is about 8 miles to the west of the more illustrious Ffynnon Gybi at Llangybi. The suggestion is that the name is a remnant of the pilgrimage route along the north coast of the Llyn Peninsula towards Bardsey with which so many of the wells on this coast claim an association. Cybi’s name is certainly associated further west along the route with rocks in the sea by Aberdaron and off the coast of Bardsey itself having the name Carreg Gybi.

To be fair, Ffynnon Cybi Bach is potentially in a much better state then many wells, with a bit of trimming back the vegetation it would be a decent spring, in a prime location beside this brand new path. Just a shame that it is so totally lacking in any historic record.

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2 Comments

Excellent! I will have to look myself. I appreciate your interests and research.

Have you explored Llangaffo on Anglesey? I haven’t heard much about St. Caffo’s use of water. I visited the churchyard and I believe he is buried there but was not sure how to look for an ancient well or spring. He was friendly with St. Cybi.

Hi thanks for your comment and support.
There was indeed a well for St Caffo and Llangaffo – it vanished in the 1840s when the embankment of the Bangor to Holyhead railway was built over it. A farm remains called Crochan Caffo which is close to where it was.

I have been meaning to visit and write it up – one of next years jobs now.